Zip tie anchor

ABSTRACT

A zip tie is disclosed that has a substantial longitudinal rigidity enabling pushing through fabrics. Associated with this tie is a catch with integral, tapered and rigid barbs. The tie strip has teeth that are tapered and essentially rigid, unlike other tie strips with mere bumps or rounded strips acting as teeth to engage flexing engaging catches. This zip anchor is intended for one time use. Though the catch may be forced off the tie for removal the catch barbs are deformed and unable to be used to anchor thereafter. This zip tie combination is most useful in attaching, anchoring members to fabric of web gear or clothing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

It is well known to sew fabric together. This invention provides analternative to sewing. This anchor also permits attachment of a hardobject to a fabric which is especially useful in securely mountingvarious objects to web structures of web gear or to the fabrics ofapparel such as hunting jackets. Though useful in the hunting field,allowing the mounting of accessories needed by a hunter in the field,this invention may also be useful to the military. There are many otheruses that may be considered in many other fields of endeavor thatrequire attachment of one element to another, especially when one orboth elements comprise fabric.

2. Prior Art of Interest

U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,435 to Davignon et al. for Rivet Tie discloses aplastic fastener with catches on one side.U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,702 to Diederich, Jr. for Tie Mount discloses aplastic fastener with catches in a channel on one side.U.S. Pat. No. 6,704,972 to Pyle for Fastener Assembly discloses mirrorelements with barbs that are combined together to function as afastener.U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,355 to Au et al. for Jewelry Box With SecurityLocker discloses a jewelry box with an elongated plastic lock with catchand multiple teeth.U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,240 to Fortenberry for Paper Binder Fastener hasradially oriented catches 42 engaging circular teeth 60.U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,309 to Velasquez et al. for Fastener Assemblydiscloses a fastener for fabric without sewing.U.S. Pat. No. 974,059 to Haynes has a rounded post with edge grippers.U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,197 to Massaro has rectangular posts with side teeth82.U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,296 to Kahn for 2 Part Snap Fastener has a squaredshank 10.U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,306 to Antonucci et al. for Automatic Deck LidBumper has a rounded shank 24 with circumferential ribs 28.U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,739 to Hamman for Plastic Drive Fastener hastransverse fins 28 on the shank and is a one-piece member to be insertedin apertures in members to be attached.

What appears to be lacking in the art is a zip tie member that is rigidenough to be pushed through a tiny aperture in fabric in order to attachanother member to it. This would allow attachment of other fabrics orother rigid members.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The zip tie anchor, hereafter referred as the anchor, has a head andintegral to that head is an essentially rigid spike with a pointed end.The spike has multiple splines and a pointed end. The pointed endenables the anchor to be pushed through fabric so that the head isfirmly seated against one side of the fabric and the spike is penetratedthrough. Each of the splines is provided with at least one row of teeth.Each tooth has an inclined face and another face essentiallyperpendicular to the spline so that the teeth of each row provide aseries of steps.

As there are a number of rows of teeth, they are meant to be engaged bythe clasp for the device. The clasp has a channel for each of thesplines and each channel has a burr to engage the corresponding row ofteeth.

The anchor is intended to be used by pushing the spike through a clothor aperture in a cloth or web gear fabric then through another fabric tobe secured, then the clasp is run downward toward the head and pushedfirmly together so that the burrs of the clasp engage a set of teeth andprevent separation of the two items joined. Though the preferredmaterial of construction is plastic, the mating faces of the burrs andteeth prevent inadvertent removal. If removal is desired sufficientforce to overpower the teeth/burr interface usually deforms the burr tosuch an extent that the clasp is unable to function reliably. At thevery least, a new clasp would be essential for reliable attachment.

It has been stated that the zip tie anchor is intended to be used forfabric, but it should be clear that this anchor/clasp duo can be used toattach elements with apertures in other fields.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an oblique view of the zip tie anchor and the clasp.

FIG. 2 is an oblique view of the clasp, magnified.

FIG. 3 is a highly magnified oblique view of the interface between theanchor spike and the clasp.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the spike showing the “X” or cruciform shape.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The zip tie anchor has a spike body 1 depending from a head 2. Due tothe cruciform shape of the spike, the head and spike are essentiallyrigid. What flexibility there is provided by the material ofconstruction. Though this material is usually plastic of various typessuch as polyethylene or polypropylene or PVC or others, this anchorcould be produced from varied metals.

The spike 1 is provided with at least three splines 3, 4, 5, a fourthspline 6 is not seen in FIG. 1, but is shown in FIG. 4. Each spline hasat least one row of teeth as seen at 30, 40, 50 see FIG. 3. The spikehas a pointed tip 7 in order to aid it in penetrating fabrics or intoapertures either in fabrics or more rigid structures.

The head 2 is shown as round but may be square or rectangular. It isalso shown as to have fabric engaging nodules 8 which have a dualpurpose. The nodules are to function to prevent undue fraying in thefabric that has been penetrated by the spike and also to help hold theanchor in one position relative to the fabric.

The spike is intended to be engaged by the clasp 10 where the clasp isprovided with a plurality of channels 11, 12, 13, 14, one channel foreach spline. Each channel has at least one tapered and rigid burr 15oriented in toward the center of the channel to engage the teeth of themating row on the mating spline, when placed onto the spike. In thedepicted embodiment each channel has two opposed burrs to engage thedual rows of teeth on each of the splines. The burrs are intended toonly engage one tooth of the row of teeth as the clasp is firmly seatedagainst the members placed against the head of the anchor. However eachtooth is brought into contact with the burr as the clasp is pushed intoplace. The clasp is also provided with fabric engaging nodules 8 on theface toward the head 2 but these are not shown as they are identical tothose shown on the head.

FIG. 3 clearly shows that the spline 4 is placed into channel 14,opposing burrs 15 are engaging teeth 40 of the rows of teeth on spline4. It should be noted that each tooth of each row has a slanted face andan essentially perpendicular face, as seen at 41, the essentiallyperpendicular face to engage the flat face of the burr 15. When removalis required, overstressing of the material of construction causes theburr to deform and the flat surface of the engaged burr to either breakoff or be smashed. This usually results in destruction of the clasp'sability to engage the rows of teeth and the splines of the spike. Suchdeformation would require, at the least, a new clasp.

The anchor depicted and discussed comprises a 4 spline spike with acount of eight rows of teeth with clasp of four channels, each channelwith opposing burrs. It is well within the concept of the invention tohave a spike with three splines or five splines, or more. It is alsowithin the concept of the invention to have only one row of teeth uponeach of the splines and for the appropriate clasp to have only thoseburrs needed for engagement with the rows of teeth comprising thatspecific spike.

1. A zip tie anchor having a head and a spike depending from said headin an essentially perpendicular orientation with said head, said spikehaving at least three splines, each spline oriented longitudinally alongsaid spike, each said spline having at least one row of teeth; a claspto engage said spike, said clasp having a corresponding number ofchannels, each channel to engage a spline of said spike, each channelhaving a burr to engage one of said teeth of said row of teeth of saidspline that is seated into said channel, wherein said clasp is run downsaid spike toward said head to engage the spike and engage items betweensaid head and said clasp.
 2. The zip tie anchor of claim 1 where thenumber of splines on said spike is four and the number of channels ofsaid clasp is four.
 3. The zip tie anchor of claim 2 where each of saidsplines has opposing rows of teeth.
 4. The zip tie anchor of claim 3where each of said channels of the clasp each have dual and opposingburrs to engage each of said rows of teeth.
 5. The zip tie anchor ofclaim 1 where each of the teeth of the row of teeth has a portionessentially perpendicular to the length of the associated spline andwhere each of said burrs has a flat face to engage said perpendicularportion of said teeth.
 6. The zip tie anchor of claim 1 where said headand said clasp are provided with a plurality of fabric engagementnodules to retard fabric fray and to help hold the anchor in oneposition relative to the members anchored.
 7. A zip tie anchor having ahead and a spike depending from said head in an essentiallyperpendicular orientation with said head, said spike having foursplines, each spline oriented longitudinally along said spike, each saidspline having two rows of teeth, each of the teeth of said rows of teethhaving a portion essentially perpendicular to the length of saidsplines; a clasp to engage said spike, said clasp having a correspondingnumber of channels, each channel to engage a spline of said spike, eachchannel having opposing burrs, each burr having a flat face to engage aperpendicular portion of one of said teeth of said row of teeth of saidspline that is seated into said channel, wherein said clasp is run downsaid spike toward said head to engage the spike and engage items betweensaid head and said clasp.